Drews



(No Model.)

J. 'S. ANDREWS.

OAR COUPLING.

Patented Mar. 3, 1885.

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JOHN STRONG ANDREWVS, OF MILLTOWVN, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA.

CAR-COUPLING.

L iPECIFICA'I'I-ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,04 dated March 3, 1885.

Application filed November 10, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN STRONG AN- DREWS, of Milltown, in the county of Charlotte, of the Province of New Brunswick, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railway Oar Couplers; and I do hereby declare the same to be described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure l is a top view, Fig. 2 a side elevation, Fig. 3 a front end view, Fig. 4 a longitudinal section, and Fig. 5 a transverse section, of my improved car-coupler. Fig. 6 is a top view, and Fig. 7 a longitudinal section,

of a shackle to operate with such coupler.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the jaws and their support-piece. Fig. 9 is an under side view of the cam for opening the jaws. Fig. 10 is a vertical and transverse section of one of the jaws and its supportpiece; and Fig. 11 is a transverse section of the two jaws, such section showing the manner in which each jaw is beveled to receive the conical head of the shackle.

The nature of myinvention is defined in the claims hereinafter presented.

In such drawings, A denotes a draw-bar, having to its bunter or head a a tapering mouth, I). Directlyin rear of such mouth, and in a narrow chamber, 0, in the draw-bar, there are arranged a pair of curved jaws, B B, and the support-piece O, to which each of such jaws is pivoted. This support-piece is composed of a plate, I), and two flanges, c 0, extending down therefrom parallel to each other, they being at a proper distance apart to receive between them the upper portions of the jaws, through which portions and the flanges the pivotal screws (1 d of the jaws extend and screw into one of the flanges. Each jaw is provided with a spring, 6, suitably applied to it and the support-piece, and is for forcing the said jaw toward its fellow. Between the two jaws there is arranged an S-shaped cam, f, for moving them asunder, such cam being fixed on the lower end of an upright spindle, g, journaled in the support-piece at its center, and extending above it, and provided with a handle, h, all being as represented. Each jaw is beveled or inclined from its outer (X0 model.)

to its inner edge, as shown at t'. The support-piece is inserted and fastened within the drawbarhead, and there is directly in rear of such support-piece a cylindrical chamber, is, which, formed in the draw-bar, contains a spiral spring, D, which is to act as a hunter to the shackle-head on its passage between the jaws,and to expel it therefrom on their being opened for discharge of the shackle. In front of the support-piece there is extending down through the head of the draw-bar a hole, m, for reception of a pin, a, to enable the drawbar, when necessary, to be connected to another adapted to receivea common shacklinglink.

The shackle for use with the coupler, as hereinbefore described,has two conical heads, 0 0, projecting from the smaller ends of the two conicallyshaped bodies p,connccted by a chain, 0", and having between them, and extending from one to the other, a spiral spring, 8, into which, at its ends, the bodies 19 p are extended, as represented. spring rest against shoulders q, formed in the said bodies. Furthermore, there is in each of such bodies a hole, 15, which goes diametrically through the body, and is to receive the pin n,when the shackle is connected with the draw-bar by such pin, and not by the jaws. The two bodies of the shackle may bejoined by a rigid connection or bar, instead of by yielding ones-via, the chain and spring, as described; but with these latter the shackle can readily bend laterally should it be borne against one side of the mouth of the draw-bar while the cars may be running on a curve of the railway track. On the shackle being driven endwise into the head of the draw-bar and between the jaws, it will force them apart and pass between them, after which they will close upon it in advance of the conical head that may have so opened them. In so closing upon the shackle they,with the said head, will couple it to the draw-bar.

To set the shackle free, the cam f is to be partially revolved, so as to force the jaws sufiiciently apart for the spring D to expel the shackle from the draw-bar, such spring having been contracted by the shackle in its passage into the draw bar for being coupled therewith. The spring D also serves to aid The ends of the ICO in supporting the shackle in a horizontal position, in order for it to be properly presented to engage with another draw-bar.

I claim- 1. The combination of the draw-bar with the separate support-piece 0, arranged within it above its chamber, and with the beveled jaws and their closing-springs, and the mechanism for moving such jaws apart, applied to such support-piece, all being substantially as set forth.

2. The shackle, substantially, and for use with the jawed coupler, as explained, such shackle consisting of the two conically-headed bodies and their connecting-chain and spiral spring, arranged as set forth.

3. The shackle composed of the two connected conically-headed b0dies,pr0vided with holes extending diametrically through them,

1 such heads and holes being for shackling ei- 2o ther of such bodies to a draw-bar bya pin, or by jaws arranged therein, as set forth. Y

4. The combination of the draw or bunter bar provided with a spiral spring and a narrow chamber,and a tapering mouth in advance thereof, and with a pin passage extending down through such mouth, as described,with a pair of beveled jaws arranged in such chamber',an(l having springs for closing them upon a shackle, and also having mechanism, as specified, for opening them for the discharge from them ofsuch shackle, all being substantially as set forth.

JOHN STRONG ANDREWS.

\Vitnesses:

Enocu B. HARVEY, GEO. B. GARDNER. 

